Swapping Joysticks

We've just watched The Game Awards 2023! Let's run through everything that got announced, what we loved, what we didn't care about, what we thought of the winners, and everything else (except the SEGA news, which we forgot about - blame the fact that we're recording this at 6am). Plus, what you've been playing!
 
We mention:
Baldur’s Gate 3
The Finals
Final Fantasy 16: Echos of the Fallen
Lego Fortnite
Rocket Racing
God of War Ragnarök Valhalla
Dave the Diver x Dredge
Skull and Bones
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Tales of Kenzera Zau
Rise of the Ronin
Black Myth Wukong
Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide
Thrasher
No Man’s Sky new expansion
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Visions of Mana
Pony Island 2: Panda Circus
Big Walk
Monster Hunter Wilds
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons remake
Harmonium the Musical
Exodus
No Rest for the Wicked
The Casting of Frank Stone
OD
Jurassic Park Survival
Marvel’s Blade
Exoborne
Light No Fire

Inbox: It's the return of Inbox, and we're discussing your questions all about Mario. From what side characters we think deserve their own games to why they never need to come to any other platform, and how Untitled Waluigi Game needs to happen, this is the Mario chatter you've been waiting for.
Inbox is a weekly bite-sized show where we discuss a different topic each week. Join the Discord at https://discord.gg/biggusbennus or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SwapJoysticks to be notified when we're looking for topic questions!

Oh wow, no sooner had a leaker shared the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer all over the internet, Rockstar released it in full HD glory!
Join us as we chat about the trailer, what we want to see from the game, how they keep it fresh for another decade, and much more.

Ep 113: We've had a week off in Cape Verde and are back feeling fully refreshed. Ed's played (and finished) the remastered Super Mario RPG, and Ben's been playing a lot of the original Final Fantasy VII.
We also have a long debate stemming from a big bit of Twitter drama when we were away regarding whether content creators should be paid to produce sponsored videos and the ethics behind it.
Plus, we chat about what you've been playing, and the latest in gaming and streaming news!
 
00:00:00 - Intro & holiday chat
00:16:51 - Super Mario RPG
00:30:50 - Super Mario Wonder
00:34:29 - Final Fantasy VII (Original)
00:53:29 - What you've been playing
01:07:43 - Is it ethical for content creators to receive money to make content?
01:57:38 - Outro

Ep 112: It's been busy week full of gaming and Ed's finally completed Alan Wake 2. He's got a lot to say on it, especially after completing Alan Wake Remastered earlier this month.
Ben's also bought a PlayStation Portal and found it's more than adequate for what he wants from it. He's also fully finished Pikmin 4, which is a feat in itself (for him). Plus, we chat about what you've been playing, and the latest in gaming and streaming news!
**Podcasts will be released on Fridays from now on, with the first on December 1st**
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:04:30 - PlayStation Portal
00:13:07 - Pikmin 4 00:19:22 - Lies of P
00:26:32 - Alan Wake 2
00:47:57 - What you've been playing
01:06:37 - Headlines (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth update, The Last Of Us Part 2 Remake, Steam Autumn Sale)
01:16:09 - Outro

Ep 111: We're joined by the MMORPG creator, caster, host and streamer, Rook to chat all things MMORPGs. We discuss the state of FFXIV, Dawntrail, WoW, Guild Wars 2, and the future of FFXIV and other MMORPGs.
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:50 - Our MMO history
00:09:02 - Casting for FFXIV & WoW (including PvP)
00:24:23 - Las Vegas & London Fanfests 00:40:59 - The FFXIV community
00:49:12 - Dawntrail & new job(s) 01:06:23 - The red suit and cosplaying!
01:10:20 - The music of FFXIV
01:15:48 - The future of FFXIV and MMOs
01:28:35 - WoW on Xbox
01:33:07 - Thank yous & outro

Ep 110: We've both been playing some fantastic games this week. Ed has been stuck into a Marvel's Spider-Man 2 web and can't put the game down, while Ben is trying his hardest to save it for a YouTube let's play. Meanwhile, Ben has found himself in marathon gaming sessions with Cities Skylines 2. With recommended settings found on Reddit, he's having no issues with performance and can fully enjoy this incredible sequel. Ben has also played a bit of Super Mario Wonder and, as expected, it's pretty awesome too.
Plus, we chat about what you've been playing, and the latest in gaming and streaming news!
 
00:00:00 - Intro & future guests announcement
00:11:22 - Marvel's Spider-Man 2
00:25:33 - Cities Skylines II
00:40:01 - Super Mario Wonder
00:43:54 - What you've been playing
00:53:18 - News (Pokemon DLC & Blizzcon announcements)
01:09:00 - Outro

Ep 109: After a weeklong break, we're back and we're chatting all about the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in London. We talk about what we got up to, what was announced, and all the incredible people we were lucky enough to meet. We've also both just started Spider-Man 2, Ed's finished Alan Wake Remastered, and Ben's put down Cocoon for good.
Plus, we chat about what you've been playing, and the latest in gaming and streaming news, including the Xbox Partner Showcase!
 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:31 - Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023 London Debrief
00:37:30 - Marvel's Spider-Man 2
00:43:44 - Sonic Superstars
00:47:35 - Alan Wake Remastered
00:54:50 - Cocoon
01:01:41 - What you've been playing
01:05:55 - News (Xbox Partner Preview, big Capcom announcement, TwitchCon announcements)
01:29:06 - Outro

Ep 108: Ed wrote the Eurogamer Lords of the Fallen review and extensively shares his reasoning behind the score, as well as diving into what went right for it, and what didn't. We also compare it to the superior Lies of P, Elden Ring and Dark Souls. Ed's also in love with Cocoon and hopes Ben perseveres with it.
Plus, we chat about what you've been playing, and the latest in gaming and streaming news, including the Activision Blizzard King deal!
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:40 - Lords of the Fallen (plus other Soulslikes)
00:52:11 - Cocoon
01:01:29 - Madden NFL 24
01:09:28 - EGX (Mario Wonder, Prince of Persia, Billie Bust Up)
01:14:05 - What you've been playing
01:26:00 - News (Xbox purchasing Activision Blizzard & new PS5 model)
01:35:03 - Outro

Ep 107: Devora Wilde and Jennifer English, the voice actors behind Baldur's Gate 3's Lae'Zel and Shadowheart join us for an extra special chat about voice acting, representation in games, working through lockdown, and even a bit of Kylie.
 
▼ Devora Wilde's links ▼
● Follow on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Devora_Wilde
● Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/devorawilde/
 
▼ Jennifer English's links ▼
● Follow on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/jenniferjenglish
● Follow on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjenglish/